Is it my imagination or are Halloween posts less frequent?

[DanielleDubois]

I have been on the forum since 2017 and lurked for a couple of years before that. To me it seems back when I first joined there were a lot more posts about Halloween adventures and the planning and preparation to take advantage of the Crossdressers National Holiday. Have times changed and overall members of the forum are more comfortable taking their first femme foray into public any time of the year?

[fireandlace]

I had that same thought this week. I have been following this site almost daily for probably 20 years, I think. Definitely seemed like a lot less post about Halloween.

[CarlaWestin]

Hi Danielle. I do believe that the Halloween experience has changed considerably since I was a kid long ago due to safety. And so has the general feeling about folks femulating in public. On a personal note, I've always wanted to be out all day dressed and Halloween would be the perfect excuse. But, many of us older folks here have already experienced the public adventure and figured out that no one really cares. This time around, I was determined to slip out during my morning DADT time and get some images in a full sexy french maid outfit. It really would have been fun on the perfect day to pull it off. But coincidentally, on Friday morning I just wasn't in the mood.

You are correct that times have changed and folks don't need an excuse. And the average member here is older and that first time out was probably a nervous drive at 2am.

[Maria 60]

I too was a little curious when the lead up to Halloween and there wasn't much talk as usual here. I to believe my first Halloween fully dressed lead me to start dressing any time. I kind of feel it draws you in and becomes very addictive once going out. I just wrote about how the rush wasn't there like it used to be after dressing anytime.

[Sandi Beech]

I would have loved to go to my favorite club for Halloween like I did in 2022. My outing opportunities have dwindled to near zero so I purged about 90 percent of my stuff. If nothing else, it would have been fun to go just to see the costumes because I saw some incredible outfits the last time I went.

Sandi

[Snide_lobster]

I think it’s just the state of the regulars here along with the times. Doesn’t seem like we have too many newcomers who stick around/stay active, and any regular posters have already done the song and dance, or are staying comfortably in their closet.

And just like Robert Zimmerman famously sang, “the times they are a changin”. There are other days one can safely explore gender non conformance, and there are far more attractive social media venues to share such experiences and garner a sense of online community, (I chose not to partake in those scenes, but Instagram, Reddit, et al have a lot more users than old school forums).

There weren’t quite as many cds in the wild this year at the drag bar I frequent, but it was Friday, so who knows how Saturday night turned out, and more did show up later that night, perhaps there were other parties to tend to.


All in all the wells not quite running dry, just a bit different I guess.

[_jenni_]

Wild isn?t it. In the past there would have been a few pages in the topic. The times have definitely changed changed but so have them demographics of the site.

[Jenn A116]

I wouldn't know about your imagination Danielle :)
But to your question I think, as others have also said, that we may have progressed to the point where Halloween isn't as big an outlet for our community. More of us are taking that step out the door without having to offer an excuse.

[Stephanie47]

Over the years I have noticed less advertising of venues having "best costume" awards on Halloween. Zero! With the current political climate I think many of us are on the side of caution. Halloween parties seem to be in the past, at least where I live. Even little kids seem to be absent. There was heavy rain in my area that reduced the door knocking to three kids; my next door neighbor eight year old girl and a party of two girls of middle school age. That was it. Now we are left with 6+ bags of my favorite chocolate treats.

[CynthiaD]

I’m feeling that Halloween isn’t such a big deal anymore. I have this great Egyptian princess costume I was going to wear to hand out candy. But then I decided to do something else instead. We left a big bowl of candy out in “help yourself” mode. Nobody took anything.

[char GG]

We did a Halloween parade in a small town near us, and an annual Halloween party held at a hotel. Then we went to a local bar, again most everyone was in costume. Both places had costume contests. There was another two-day Halloween event at a different venue that we didn't have time to attend. Another group that we belong to, also had a Halloween costume party. Just can't do it all!

The event venue that I work for also had a Vampire concert.

I think that you just have to seek out the festive events. Because they are certainly going on near us.

That said, I don't know how many trick or treaters were out near us, because we were busy attending other events.

[Connie D50]

I also feel that way Danielle, a major drop in post.

[NancySue]

I noticed the same thing. My 2 cents, I think it?s the sign of the times. You?d have to be an ostrich to not be aware of our angry, divided nation, road rage, etc. Scares me just going out for a ride, especially in our very conservative community. JMO.

[char GG]

Mod note:

Please make sure not to wander into politics.

[Natalie5004]

Well I almost did my part. Friday I inquired to my SO if I could go all dolled up for Halloween. I got a negative response.

So, I did what any respectable cross dresser would do. I was alone all day Saturday. Bang out came Natalie. She left the house for a nice drive around town. She also stopped at the wig shop she gets her hair. We were too early. The shop opens at 10 am Saturday.

Did she go out for coffee? No, she should have, she looked marvelous. Just like a CDer that does not realize she is way over dressed for a Saturday morning. If only she did not drive that magnet of a muscle car. She needs to drive the ubiquitous silver SUV in the family.

347626

[Jasmine23]

Natalie certainly did look marvellous, just a pity your wife didn't let her out on Halloween!

[Princess Chantal]

I think it’s just the state of the regulars here along with the times. Doesn’t seem like we have too many newcomers who stick around/stay active, and any regular posters have already done the song and dance, or are staying comfortably in their closet.

And just like Robert Zimmerman famously sang, “the times they are a changin”. There are other days one can safely explore gender non conformance, and there are far more attractive social media venues to share such experiences and garner a sense of online community, (I chose not to partake in those scenes, but Instagram, Reddit, et al have a lot more users than old school forums).

There weren’t quite as many cds in the wild this year at the drag bar I frequent, but it was Friday, so who knows how Saturday night turned out, and more did show up later that night, perhaps there were other parties to tend to.


All in all the wells not quite running dry, just a bit different I guess.

I believe your theory is most likely the case.

[DianeT]

My closet is quite comfy indeed. As for Halloween, if I ever took this opportunity to venture out for the first time, the only person I'd spook out would be my wife. She'd run up the hills. And I'd have to go after her. In pantyhose and high heels, with the wind blowing away my wig after a dozen yards and landing on a poor mole at the precise moment her date was entering this quaint mole pub inside an old mossy log, full of hope for the new life to come after mourning her dead mole husband for so many years before finally putting herself together, boldly downloading Tinder on the Google Store and picking after quite a few swipes that dashing gentlemole whose short haircut reminded her of her late companion, my wig, did I say, but also the bra forms jumping around as I run, firing silicone missiles at the first pothole, exploding the moment they touched the ground, throwing out jelly smithereens all around, hitting the wildlife passing by that was just minding their own business, eating wild lettuce, reading the newspaper and copulating, moments before they got covered in a translucent gooey that stuck to their fur and abruptly shut down the libido of the poor things that suddenly looked more like the main protagonist of 1972's Beware of the Blob without the red color than the forest extras in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, making ladders in my pantyhose as I make my way through hedges and bushes, and after a long winding path to the top, finally reaching this rocky plateau where the Blue Bear of the Mountains has cornered my wife after he sniffed from miles away the Milky Way chocolate bar she forgot to remove from her pocket and that melted during her course into a very yummy brown and odorant slime, making every citizen in a 60-mile radius wonder if a washing machine cycle at 30 degrees Celsius will ever get this dress' colors back, finally scaring away the beast with my best smile and smeared lipstick and mascara, while my wife had already returned to the house because she remembered she had forgotten to turn off the faucet of the garden hose while watering the flowers, moments before her husband left home for an Halloween event nearby and she started running up the hills, not imagining she would ever be fortunate enough to see in the flesh this super rare species of a bear that her grandfather told her so many wonderful and frightening stories about.
Then again, I am quite pleased and comfy in my closet.

[Gail_veiled]

Diane, that was quite literally the funniest run-on sentence I have ever read :roflmao:

[OrdinaryAverageGuy]

I'd love to dress for Halloween, but my wife isn't into it any more, and with my MIL living with us our social life is dead and bloating. In the end, I didn't realize it was Halloween until we saw the pics of the grandkids on FB the next morning. Maybe next year....

[JesseVF]

Dressing for Halloween was always a fantasy of mine but I am a believer of the theory that you can?t present well without people figuring out you?re really a cd. I have finally realized you have to go with a costume. This year I bought a Bavarian Beer Garden Server Girl costume. Not gonna happen to go out in it, but fun to wear it when I have the chance
anyway.

[Sasha_inside]

Things have changed, been changing for sure.
Last year we had no trick or treaters, this year we had one.

This year Base housing also had a Fall Carnival and then a Trunk or Treat for the kids at the Community Center. We've noticed that there are not as many younger kids on campus anymore too, mostly Middle and High School aged kids.

Adult wise, there was only one Halloween Party among the people I know (there are usually at least 3), and it was dinner followed by a movie, and not many people went.

Dunno

[Di]

Things are changing for sure .
I remember those posts - planning for months. I also remember me trying to encourage CDs don’t just dress as a woman …..doing a great job will out you( who wants to look like a cartoon) But be a female character.
Nowadays phrase "younger generation free to dress" primarily driven by Gen Z, towards greater individualism, comfort, and self-expression through clothing so maybe they freely express themselves day to day .
I’m just guessing

[TheHiddenMe]

Well, that used to be me. Longing as a kid to dress as a girl, then about 10 or 11 years ago going out on Halloween--and Halloween only.

And then I decided that wasn't enough, so I got my nails done--I was going to use Halloween as my excuse but my nail tech was so cool about everything I just told the truth, that I was getting a makeover the next day. Between the nail tech, Julie at Sephora, and Falon at Nordstrom being so accepting, I decided everything would be OK.

It's been a LOT more than OK.

I did go out on Halloween with my GG friend Michelle and her boyfriend. She wore a Wonder Woman dress of mine and I wore a costume she wore a couple of weeks ago to a Rocky Horror 50th Anniversary show. Before we went to our nighttime activity, we stopped at the house of a friend of Michelle's (who I borrowed the costume from) and they were hosting trick or treaters in their driveway. It seemed to be a pretty popular holiday.

As to fewer threads? Yes, I think people who want to go out are more comfortable going out now (in our age demographic). The younger folk are willing to just dress as they want. Attendance at Diva Las Vegas was also down, perhaps for that reason do (people are comfortable being out). And all of that is a good thing, I'd say.

[ellbee]

Oh, I dressed up as a GG who dressed up for Halloween this year, as I usually have the past quite a few. :)


And yes, there was a bit of a lead-up to it, as one, I was out of practice with my make-up, and two, I wanted to get more comfortable & confident presenting en-femme again while out in public in vanilla land.

Honestly, I don't typically do full femme. Whole outfit, sure. But wig & make-up, too? While it's like riding a bike, it doesn't hurt to do a bit of prep work & practice before game day.

Or at least those were my excuses. :devil:


I had a really good time on Halloween, too. Did some errands early evening, in town, by myself. Really cute black dress with silver metallic dots, black tights, cat-ears headband. And that's a costume, folks! :heehee: Honestly, I did look & feel pretty legit.

I was running late when getting ready, so luckily I kinda sped thru my make-up -- which means I probably missed out on putting on too much, ha!


I've actually been dressing up a lot since then, too. Figure I got the practice in, so I can get ready fairly quickly now. Plus I've been feeling a lot more confident.

But, I think I'm done for a bit. Wig & make-up really is too much for me, oftentimes... Time, energy, effort, etc.


Anyway, glad I did it, as usual -- despite it being super windy.

Kudos to all those who got out there this Halloween! :thumbsup:

[Sandy Clifton]

Despite contributing a Halloween outing post this year, I agree that they seem less prevalent than they once were.
Here's my data, from the Sandy spreadsheet...

From 1998 to 2013, I dressed in public on 15 days, 5 of which were Halloweens.

Since then, I've presented as female on Halloween 3 times, out of 86 Sandy-in-public days.

As dressing events become more frequent, there's less pressure to "go big" on Halloween, I suppose.